Pantry Potpourri - Savvy Uses for Ice Cubes

Chill Out With Ice Cubes

Ok, so ice isn’t really a pantry item or a shelf stocker unless you’re in charge of the annual neighborhood snow cone party, but ice cube trays are definitely worth being filled on a regular basis (or water lines plugged in, for the fancy ice-in-the-door folk). Practically free, ice certainly has more uses than soothing the occasional goose egg or cooling down your summer drinks. This ordinary product can do extraordinary things and even save a headache or two.  Here are a few tricks I’ve learned to help break the ….

1.  A spoonful of ice makes the medicine go down: Ugh – trying to get kids to take medicine can be a chore in and of itself.  But try this, have them suck on an ice cube before taking the medicine. Ice numbs their taste buds and allows the medicine to be swallowed without the fight.

2. Water your plants:  If you struggle to water hard to reach plants, or even the Christmas tree for fear of making a sopping mess just use ice cubes.  Toss a couple ice cubes into the pot (try not to let them touch the foliage) and watch them melt to perfection.  The water is absorbed slowly and there’s less chance of a run-over..

3.  Put moisture back into rice:  If you’ve tried reheating rice without success add a few ice cubes. Put an ice cube on top of the rice when you put it in the microwave.  Gently set the lid on top of your reheating container with a little venting room and the ice cube will melt as the rice warms up giving your rice its’ desired moisture.

4.  Remove dents in carpeting: You may have tried this trick before!  If you’ve moved the furniture in your home, you know that couch feet and piano legs can leave ugly indents in your carpet. Get rid of furniture dents by placing an ice cube on the hole. Let the ice melt and then gently brush the carpet to revive it like new.

5.  Get the gum out:  If your 3 year old somehow snuck a piece of gum from the pantry and now it’s stuck in their curly locks, get it out with ice.  Remove as much excess gum by hand as possible and then use ice to get out the rest.  Put a handful of ice cubes into a plastic bag, hold the bag over the remaining gum until it freezes and hardens and then gently break away the hardened gum.

6. Stop sauces from curdling: If your perfect sauce has curdled, add an ice cube to the saucepan and stir the sauce back into shape!

7.  Tweeze a splinter:  If you’ve ever tried to tweeze a splinter from the foot of a 2 year old you know how hard this task can be! Before you start, numb the area with an ice cube to make the removal less painful.

8. De-fat soups:  If you have excess fat in your soup or stew remove it with ice.  Remove soup from heat and add a layer of ice to the pot.  Wait about 3 minutes and then stir.  The fat will stick to the ice cubes.  Want to remove the fat but not water down your soup? Fill a metal ladle with ice cubes and skim the bottom of the ladle over the top of the soup.  The fat will collect in the ladle and no extra water will be added to your broth. 

9. Clean the garbage disposal:  Combine two cups of ice cubes and a cup of vinegar to dispose of garbage disposal odors once and for all. Fill the garbage disposal with the ice cubes and then pour the vinegar over the top. While running cold water, turn the garbage disposal on for approximately 10 seconds.

10. Remove gum from clothing:  If you sat on gum at the movie theater and now your favorite jeans are ruined – think again!  Just rub an ice cube on the gum to harden it and scrape it off with a spoon.

11. Make creamy salad dressing: Put all the ingredients in a jar/shaker and add one ice cube. Close the lid tightly and shake well. Spoon out the ice cube and pour out a creamy perfection.

This ordinary product certainly can do extraordinary things!  Try out a few of these cool solutions in your home today!

Pantry Potpourri: Toothpaste

Pantry Potpourri:

The Talents of Toothpaste

What is dentist recommended, filled with fluoride and a tool of choice for super action hero MacGyver? Toothpaste of course!  While MacGyver can kick start rescue attempts by disguising explosives as toothpaste, savvy shoppers can use toothpaste to kick-start household chores with explosive savings! 

I love finding additional uses for ordinary household pantry items to save even more time and money. Toothpaste is a hygiene staple and can always be found in the medicine cabinet or bathroom drawer. But, did you know that like MacGyver, toothpaste can be a superhero in your home? Try these great uses for toothpaste dressed in a secret disguise so the dirt will never know what hit it! (Note: Cleaning solutions are not meant for everyday use. Test on unseen areas first.)

Polish Shoes  - I remember as a child, scrubbing my white Sunday shoes with a toothbrush and toothpaste to remove the black scuff marks.  It worked like a charm and smelled great as well!  Smear a pea size amount of regular non-gel toothpaste onto white shoes or rubber soles.  Using a wet, soft bristle toothbrush gently scrub away dirt and scuff marks in a non-circular motion.

Remove Crayon -  Apply a small amount of non-gel toothpaste over crayon marks on your wall. Using a soft cloth, rub gently and rinse with warm water and watch the artwork disappear. (Or just buy washable crayons to begin with!)

Defog Goggles – Going swimming?  Wipe the inside of your swimming goggles with toothpaste using a soft cloth.  Using a clean portion of the cloth, gently re-wipe the goggles and they will stay magically clear underwater!

Deodorize Hands - There’s almost nothing I hate more than cutting onions.  Fortunately, I don’t have to participate in this activity often.  But, when you just can’t avoid dicing, get the strong odors of onions, fish or garlic off your hands with toothpaste. Simply apply a dab of non-gel toothpaste, just as you would hand soap, and wash with warm water. Try scrubbing dirty nails using toothpaste and a toothbrush as well. Apply lotion to moisturize. Ahhhhh, minty fresh!

Deodorize Babyware – If you’ve got a sour milk sippy cup or baby bottle that just won’t stop stinking, just clean it with non-gel toothpaste.  Using a bottle brush or sponge, apply toothpaste, scrub and rinse the smell away.

Headlight Defogger – Using a cotton cloth or buffing pad, apply a mixture of warm water and toothpaste to lackluster headlights.  The results?  No more bug or dirt residue!

Iron Cleaner – If your iron plate has collected souvenir gunk from clothing and craft projects past, use a non-gel toothpaste and cotton cloth to return it to new. Scrub cool iron with a warm wet cloth and toothpaste in a non-circular motion.  Rinse with a clean wet cloth and remove all excess toothpaste before using iron.

Jewelry Polish – In a pinch, apply a very small dab of non-gel toothpaste onto a soft bristle toothbrush. Scrub gently with a wet toothbrush. Rinse, and lightly scrub with clean toothbrush under warm running water to fully remove any excess paste.

Shine Silver/Chrome – Non-gel toothpaste can remove tarnish and restore a beautiful shine to silver and chrome.  The mild abrasive added to toothpastes aids in the cleaning process.  Apply toothpaste to silver or chrome surfaces, and using an old toothbrush or soft cloth, brush or wipe desired surface area. Rinse to check cleaning progress and re-apply as necessary.  Completely dry cleaned pieces before storing.  The fine abrasive in the paste polishes the chrome to a spotless shine.

Hair Bow Holder – Somewhere between the kitchen floor and the grocery store lays an adorable hair bow – if only it was still in your daughter’s hair!  Use this simple trick to keep bows in their place: using a wet comb, divide hair to be pinned.  Apply a small amount of toothpaste with a cotton swab to the inside clip of the hair bow.  Clip dampened hair and as the toothpaste dries it will keep the bow in place.  Use this simple technique to apply non-clip infant hair bows as well.  Use a small amount of water to re-dampen hair when removing clip.

All I can say is mmmmmmmm......

Clean Shower Doors -  The fine abrasive in non-gel toothpaste is the secret to its cleaning power.  Use a wet toothbrush and toothpaste to clean hard-to-reach shower door dirt and grime.

Toothpaste can truly be a powerful household tool in your pantry arsenal.  So pull a MacGyver and take your dental hygiene to a whole new level!

Pantry Potpourri: Sliced Bread

Pantry Potpourri:

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread? Sliced Bread!

You may have heard it said before that a new gadget or product is “the greatest thing since sliced bread.” As a self-proclaimed carboholic, I say, nothing is greater than sliced bread itself!  You may think of bread as simply a PB&J caddy, but rest assured this pantry staple is more than just a sandwich maker.  Bread is an inexpensive addition to any pantry and a miracle worker for solving many a household task.  Here are a few of my favorite uses for white bread:

Food Softener:

If you don’t own a brown sugar bear there’s no need to fret.  Your hard-as-a-rock brown sugar can again be as soft as the day you bought it. Put the brown sugar into an airtight container and place a fresh piece of white bread on top of the sugar.  Seal the container and leave for 1-2 days until soft.
This same principle applies to stale marshmallows.  Now, personally, I love stale marshmallows, but if you didn’t let your’s harden on purpose, add a piece of bread to a re-sealable plastic bag filled with hardened marshmallows and let it rest a few days.  Voilá! Newly fluffed mallows!

Fresh Protection:

Add 1-2 slices of white bread to your sealed cookie jar to extend shelf-life freshness for home-baked cookies.

Scorch Remover:

If you forgot to check the rice you made for dinner and now it smells scorched, don’t throw it out, just add white bread! While it’s still hot add a slice of white bread to the pot.  Put the lid back on and wait 10 minutes.  Remove the bread and the scorched odors/taste with it.

Odor Eraser:

Oh, I wish I had learned this as a child!  I would have snuck bread onto every pot of steamed broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussell sprouts when my mother wasn’t looking had I known that adding a piece of white bread to the top of the pot would absorb most vegetable odors. You can add this to the exterior lid or on top of steaming vegetables in the pot. Oh well, I guess I still would have had to eat it – so better to see it coming and mentally prepare myself to swallow them whole.

Oil Absorber:

Too much grease in the ground beef?  Too much grease smoke from the broiler?  White bread is an excellent oil and grease absorber.  Adding a piece of bread to the frying pan or a few slices to the drip pan decreases broiler smoke and removes excess pan grease.  As an added benefit, the less oil in your pan the less splatters and potential burns and the less chance of oven fires!  Remove and discard used bread after cooking.

Floor Cleaner:

If you’ve ever shattered a glass or ceramic dish on a tile kitchen floor you know it can be nearly impossible to sweep up every little shard.  The big pieces are easy to pick up, but it’s the razor thin and almost invisible needle-sharp pieces that remain ominously unseen. You may vacuum and sweep, but invariably someone will step on a stray fragment and get cut or you’ll end up getting poked by fragments in a sock in the dirty laundry. To clean this mess effectively, sweep the floor surface well and then use a vacuum handle attachment to suck up as much of the small remains as possible.  Then simply press a slice of white bread over the entire area and prepare to be amazed at how much glass you’ll still find. Fold used bread in half and discard carefully.

Bee Sting Extraction:

If you’ve been stung by a bee and the stinger won’t come out, apply a bread and milk poultice.  Briefly soak a piece of white bread in milk and then squeeze out any excess.  Apply to the sting site and wrap lightly in plastic wrap and a bandage.  It’s said the yeast in the bread will help draw the stinger out and the cool compress will help alleviate pain and swelling.

Bread may be the staff of life, but it can also be a real household lifesaver! It’s likely your cupboard is rarely without this pantry staple, but just in case, make sure it’s on your shopping list.  Remember, you can freeze bread from the grocery store for up to one month in its original packaging or up to 4 months in freezer quality plastic wrap/bags if all air has been removed.

Pantry Potpourri: Lemon Oil

 Pantry Potpourri:

Loving Lemon Oil

If you’re looking for a multi-use cleaning tool for your home, look no further than your pantry for a bottle of good old-fashioned lemon oil.  Beyond its’ luster enriching powers for furniture and other woods, lemon oil is an amazing cleaner and polisher with a variety of household uses.  As one of my pantry staples, lemon oil is an effective cleaner that won’t leave behind any waxy build while restoring that “new” and “clean” feeling to your home.  Here’s  few of my favorite lemon oil tips:

Polish Wood: Obviously lemon oils’ main use is to re-nourish and protect wood on furniture or cupboards.  It does and excellent job of providing a sheen to these otherwise lack luster surfaces in your home. In fact, most cabinets should be oiled at least once a year.  Lemon oil penetrates deep into wood grain surfaces to add moisture back into dried wood. Many lemon oils also now include a “sunscreen” to prevent the sun from fading your furniture. I use an old sock (marked with a black sharpie on the toe with a C for cleaner sock) or cut up old t-shirts to apply lemon oil to designated areas.  Old t-shirts work great for rags and I also save the neck hole and adjoining t-shirt fronts to make bibs for the kids – best bibs ever.  I love to re-purpose and re-use!

Clean Wood: I was thrilled when I received an old and well used piano recently.  I played for years growing up, but had not had a piano in my married life (something about my husband not wanting to move it more than once or was that ever?) So when this piano was offered to us I jumped at the chance.  As you might expect it was well loved, colored on, drawn on and pretty dingy and scuffed up.  However, a few wipes with a lemon oil rag and cleaner and now it looks almost new!  On heavily soiled surfaces lemon oil penetrates deep into the wood to loosen dirt and grime build up.  I simply applied a thin coat of lemon oil on a non abrasive cloth combined with a light spritz of all purpose cleaner/window cleaner and in one wipe my piano looked 10 times brighter in just minutes. If you have heavily soiled or painted surfaces try lemon oil and an all purpose cleaner together. The combination cuts many cleaning jobs in half - just make sure to spot test any questionable areas first to check for staining and do not use on high gloss woods.

Clean Showers: You may have never used lemon oil in the shower, but as the wife of a former tile installer I’ve learned how useful lemon oil can be in the bathroom.  If you’re looking to cut down on hardwater build up and water spots, use a VERY light coat of lemon oil applied after cleaning on shower stalls and fiberglass doors.  You don’t want anyone slipping on this stuff so make sure to wipe the walls and doors with oil and then wipe them again, this time with a clean cloth to remove the bulk of the oil residue. Never use lemon oil on shower or tub floors.  You just need a thin layer to allow the water to bead up and roll off.  Plus your shower will shine like never before!

Clean Sinks:  Do you have a stainless steel sink that has seen better days? Want it to look like new?  It can!  First clean your sink well, I suggest a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove stubborn rust and food stains.  Then, wipe down your sink with a light coat of lemon oil and check out your reflection.  Old sinks will look like new with this simple technique.  Plus the added bonus of a reduction in hardwater deposits and water spots as water rolls off the sink walls and down the drain go the stains! Most stainless steel household appliance surfaces will also glisten to new after a light coat of oil and without streaking.  And don’t forget to wipe sealed granite and marble countertops – they need a little shine too. Remember, lemon oil won’t leave any solvent or waxy buildup so it’s perfect for these areas.

Scuff Marks: Removing scuff marks from wood, tile and vinyl floors is a snap with lemon oil in your arsenal. Apply a small amount of oil to a non-abrasive cloth or sponge and gently rub to remove unsightly scuffs.  For difficult stains on non-wood floors, combine oil and all purpose cleaner for an easy and  effective clean – works like magic.  After the mark has been removed, just mop as usual to remove any excess oil.

Lemon oil is definitely a pantry must have!  It’s a great tool for easy cleaning and polishing all over your home, just remember a little goes a long way.  So, the next time you’re looking to add some shine to your home dulldrums, add a little lemon oil and be polish perfect.

Pantry Potpourri: Dryer Sheets

Pantry Potpourri:

Dryer Sheets - It Just Makes Scents!

To keep your clothes smelling fresh and static free it’s likely you use some form of fabric softener with each load of clothes in your dryer. I love to store my surplus stock of dryer sheets in my laundry cupboards so those stinky socks and wet washrags don’t get the better of me.  I even make my sheets last longer by cutting them in half before using, as there is more than enough softener on half a sheet.  I hate to throw away a dryer sheet that still has some “life” left in it!  So, I’ve started saving my used and new sheets and repurposing them.  Did you know dryer sheets can be used outside of the laundry room for a variety of amazing alternate scentsible ideas?  Here’s a few of my favorites:

Garbage Can Odor Prevention: I tuck a laundry sheet under the garbage bag liner in each bathroom to keep the bathroom smelling clean for weeks!

Dresser Drawer Deodorant: I love to tuck half of a dryer sheet in a knee high stocking at the back of my sock drawer.  Love that dryer fresh scent each morning!

Shoe Patrol: Stick half of a dryer sheet in each smelly shoe to eliminate odor overnight.

Car Cleanup: Stick a dryer sheet under the driver’s side car seat to refresh your ride!  It also helps cover up the spoiled milk smell from my baby’s sippy cup accidents until I can wash the car seat!

Shower Door Scrubbers: If you have soap scum buildup on your glass shower door simply wet a dryer sheet and scrub the spots away.

Static Clean Quick Fix: Out of static control spray?  Just lightly rub a dryer sheet on the inside of dresses or skirts in a pinch for a static-free day.

Bug Repellent: Keep those mosquitoes from biting by rubbing a dryer sheet on your arms and neck. (Check for skin irritations first.)

Toilet Paper Freshness: Roll up a dryer sheet in your toilet paper tube. Every time you spin the roll you’ll get some added freshness in your bathroom. 

Listless Linen Closet Control: Tuck a new dryer sheet between an old washcloth in the linen closet to spruce up your sheets.


Suitcase Scents: When traveling tuck a used dryer sheet in a sock between items in your suitcase to keep your clothes smelling fresh.

Camping Check: Tuck a dryer sheet inside rolled up tents and backpacks to eliminate those embedded fire odors. Tuck a used dryer sheet inside sleeping bags for a good nights sleep on your next campout.  Dryer sheets are also a great bug repellant so the creepy crawlies won’t be snuggling you either! 

Using dryer sheets beyond the laundry room just makes “scents.”  Find a smelly spot in your home or office that needs some refreshing and add some dryer sheet love today! 

Savvy How To: Cleaning Organization

Savvy How To:

Be Resolved to Not Be Perfect!

Well, I made a horribly difficult New Year's resolution for 2010 in addition to the American standard of losing 10 pounds: NO CHOCOLATE for an entire year! I mean it! No dark, rich and mouth wateringly exquisite chocolate nor any artificially flavored imposter shall pass my lips for 365 days! Absolutely CRAZY, I know. But, it's the point of it all: to prove my resolve and let my will control my wants. Plus it helps with the first goal and is the only way I could keep myself from eating it everyday!

You may have set an outrageous goal for yourself as well and now, after only a few days in, are wondering how you'll ever make it.

It's just my two cents, but I believe one of the biggest problems with goal setting is being overly critical of our perceived failures no matter how grandiose the objective. Setting difficult goals should inspire us to try harder, do better and reach higher. There should be bumps along the way! It's moving past those stumbling blocks that make us stronger and more determined in our resolve.

BUT, no one is perfect! While I can be a bit obsessive in my quest for perfection, the weight of trying to be perfect wastes time, saps strength and is simply depressing. There has to be room for error and credit for partial successes!

As a mother of young children I've found that setting smaller goals, and using them as stepping stones is essential for long-term success. Being organized in our homes is likely a goal most of us share.
I, too, wanted a perfectly clean house, but it seemed perfectly impossible. So I developed a schedule of short-term daily goals about eight years ago to help organize my time and achieve my objective while still allowing time with my children. I laminated this list and hung it on the fridge as a constant visible reminder. Note: I NEVER get everything perfectly done every day, but as long as I get something done - even one shelf in the refrigerator wiped down on Monday or 20 undistracted minutes with the kids, I've succeeded in my goal! Any success, no matter how small, is ALWAYS a win in my book! Try writing down your daily goals and you might find some of them getting done more often! One step in the right direction is still a step and as an old Chinese proverb says, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

Daily Goals:

Monday:
    - Clean Kitchen
    - Song Day (Sing or listen to music with the kids.)

Tuesday
    - Bathrooms
    - Book Day (Read books or be read to.)

Wednesday
    - Paperwork
    - Game Day (Play a game - indoor or outdoor.)

Thursday
    - Bedrooms
    - Kids Craft/Cook Day (Try something new or an old favorite.)

Friday
    - Laundry
    - Computer Day (Explore outer space or just space out!)

Saturday
    - Vacuum & Dust

Sunday
    - Cut Coupons, Rest

Being perfect would be awesome; oh I relish that thought! And, though I do scrub my tile floors with a toothbrush on occasion, I can't be Super-Mom all the time! Organization in life comes in spurts, a little at a time. Take it when you can get it and relish those moments too!

Pantry Potpourri: Blue Dawn

Pantry Potpourri:

The Powerful Savings of Blue Ultra Dawn

One of my favorite, tried and true, pantry must-have products is blue Dawn. Blue Dawn you say? Yes, there are remarkable powers found lurking inside each plastic bottle of this original scented wonder detergent beyond simply cleaning dishes. You may likely have some of this magical dish cleanser in your pantry as we speak. If so, pull it out, dust it off and love it like I do!

Here are just a few things Blue Dawn can do:

1. Eliminates Clothing Oil/Grease Stains: Does your favorite shirt or apron have an old, set-in grease or oil stain that just won't come out? Don't throw it out and spend more money buying new clothes - try blue Dawn! Simply squirt a little blue Dawn on the stain, scrub lightly with a soft toothbrush or fingernail and let set for up to 12 hours and launder. Repeat if necessary, but do not dry until the stain has been fully removed. You may want to test a small, unseen area first on sensitive fabrics to prevent staining. I have tried this many times and found it to work amazingly well for removing a variety of "hopeless" stains!

2. Cleans Carpets: Red Kool-Aid on light colored carpet - impossible to remove you say? NAY!!! I have attempted this feat and been triumphant - no $200 carpet cleaning machine or service required! With this inexpensive trick I transformed my multi-colored carpet back to its' prime. Simply add 7 drops of blue Dawn liquid detergent to 2 cups of warm water. Wet the stained area with a tablespoon of the Dawn solution. Next, place a folded white cotton towel, dampened in the cleaning mixture, over the stain making sure the towel covers the entire surface area of the iron. Set your iron to a medium setting and place on top of the damp towel for approximately 2 minutes (If your iron shuts off after 30 seconds you will have to lift it upright an reapply the iron). The stain will transfer to the white towel! Refold the towel to a clean area each time you reapply the iron. You will have to do this several times to remove all the stain. When the stain transfer stops rinse the entire area and blot out all remaining liquid. Do not leave the iron unattended! Test in a small, unseen area for specialty carpets or for stain concerns.

3. Wonder Bubbles: If you want to make the worlds most amazing bubbles, look no further than the kitchen sink. I have made some truly gigantic bubbles using this simple solution! It will leave your children in amazement!

Here's my favorite bubble recipe from "The Unbelievable Bubble Book", by John Cassidy.

1 clean container
1 cup blue Ultra Dawn
12 cups Water
3-4 tablespoons Glycerine (Found near the pharmacy)

Combine water and blue ultra Dawn. Add glycerine (It makes the bubble stronger by reducing evaporation). Stir, but don't make a "froth" on top as it breaks the bubble solution. Let the solution sit overnight. Additional bubble wands are available at hobby and retail stores for super large-Guinness Record size bubble blowing if desired or make your own with make-your-own bubble wand instructions available online.